Palmer to make a flying visit

PALMER United Party boss Clive Palmer will fly into Tasmania this morning for the final days of the state election campaign with at least one seat within the party's grasp.

The new minor party and the Greens are pumping resources into the North-West Coast ahead of Saturday's election, where its shaping up as a tight contest for the fifth seat in Braddon.

Polling shows PUP's "candidate for Premier" Kevin Morgan and the Greens incumbent Paul "Basil" O'Hallaron are neck and neck, hovering at about 10 per cent each.

Mr Palmer will spend three days on the hustings starting today in Hobart, before travelling to Launceston tomorrow and Burnie and Devonport on Thursday.

Mr Morgan said the extended visit by the party's multi- millionaire leader was an important boost for the party at the critical point of the campaign.

"Tasmanian people like to touch and feel the people they're going to vote for," Mr Morgan said.

Policy announcements, door- knocking and hosting dinners with business leaders are among the items on the mining magnate's Tasmanian itinerary.

"We're looking to touch and feel as many people as possible," Mr Morgan said.

The Greens are also ramping up efforts in Braddon to help get Mr O'Halloran over the line, with extra volunteers making the trip and Greens leader Nick McKim and Denison MHA Cassy O'Connor campaigning alongside him.

Mr O'Hallaron, who was written off by many ahead of the campaign, is buoyed by the recent polling, but not surprised.

"There's no doubt that this is the most conservative electorate, but there's the Green vote and then there's the `Basil vote'," he said.

"I'm a pretty well regarded teacher and have demonstrated I have got a capacity to be reasonable, I go into bat for communities and I can work with anyone."

Mr O'Halloran said it was clear PUP was spending up big in the electorate and prime time television advertising, but he was not fazed by Mr Palmer's visit.

"I just get the feeling out there that people are now looking at records and policies. I think they're starting to look beyond the slogans."

Mr McKim will make another trip to the North-West Coast.

Without the spending power of PUP, the Tasmanian Greens have conducted their biggest ever door knocking effort.